Ruthless Winds and Raging Seas

Chapter 7

It was a rough fight but in the end Fairy Tail was victorious and they escaped on their ship with the map to Tendrou Island.

"If you ask me we should just sell the map." Laxus said. "I'm not completely convinced that this book of E.N.D is real."

"It's real alright and just think of how rich we'll all be once we get it." Natsu said. "All we have to do is follow this map and make sure we don't die."

"I doubt it's that simple Natsu." Gray said.

"And besides we don't have everything we need for this destination." Erza said.

"What do you mean? We have food, fresh water, cannons, loaded pistols, swords, a map to the location, what else do we need?"

"How about a key?"

"A key?"

"According to legend the book was sealed in a temple that can only be opened by a sacred key."

"Well where do we find this sacred key?"

"We don't find it, we make it."

"Make it?"

"It's a magic temple which holds a magic book so I'm pretty sure we need to make a magic key."

"Okay how do we make it?"

"The legend says we need these items, the horn of a Capricorn, three dead man's coins, ink from a kraken, and a mermaid's tear."

"Where are we supposed to find those things?"

"I can help you find them." Gajeel said. "I know all about sea beasts and dead men and where to find them."

"Great where do we start?"

"Well captain the thing we're closest to finding first would be a mermaid's tear. Mermaid Heal, the cove where they live is just a day's journey from here."

"Laxus set a course for Mermaid Heel, Gajeel show him the way."

"Hold it pink hair, before we go let me inform you, all of you about what you're getting yourself into. You think catching a mermaid will be easy? Wrong! They're not just women with fish tails! They're monsters! They have fangs and claws and they eat human flesh."

"But aren't they half human?" Natsu asked.

"They may look it, but there's nothing human about them. They're tough, fast, monsterous, and clever too. First they'll make themselves look like regular but attractive women, that's how they lure you in and once you're close enough, just before they eat you alive, they'll show you what they really look like. You've never seen anything so hideous."

"I'm sure we can handle them."

"Alright but don't say that I didn't warn you."

Gajeel went to steer Laxus in the direction of where Mermaid Heel was located. Natsu descended into his quarters to study the map. He sat down at his desk and started to look the map over. Suddenly he heard the sound of someone moaning from behind some barrels.

He pulled out his sword and went to investigate. To his relief the person he found there wasn't one of Tartaros's members but to his surprise it was Lucy who was regaining consciousness from her fall.

"Oh my head." She groaned. "Where am I?"

"On my ship, what the hell are you doing here?!" He said.

"Oh no. You again! Did you bring me here?"

"No way. I didn't even know you were on this ship until now."

"Uh-oh, I must've fallen on to this ship during the attack. You must take me back to Fiore immediately."